Highlights 13 award-winning newly constructed or renovated/restored educational special-purpose facility design projects for 2000. Design descriptions, data, and photos are provided along with information about the architectural design firm used and costs per square foot and per student. (GR)

Four contributors to this column, including two administrators, a support staff member, and an educator responsible for training technical assistants, discuss training and recognition programs for support staff, with particular emphasis on empowerment strategies that have proven effective. (AEF)

Responses from 131 of 187 National Future Farmers of America Agriscience Teacher of the Year winners indicated that they had an average of 18 years of experience; had a higher percentage of females than the national average of agriculture teachers; were trained in integrating science; and had specialized courses that attracted more females than…

In 2000, ASBO International Certificates of Excellence went to Arcon Associates, Inc., in Lombard, Illinois; Barbour/LaDouceur Architects and Ellerbe Becket in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Fanning/Howey Associates in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Tomaino Iamello Associates in Deal, New Jersey, for school building construction/renovation projects. (MLH)

Good programs for recognizing exemplary college teaching are consistent with institutional mission and values, are grounded in research-based competencies and practices, recognize all significant facets of instruction, reward both collaborative and individual achievements, neither preclude nor replace the institutional reward system, call on those…

Considers the first three decades of the Council for Research in Music Education in the School of Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, focusing on the origins and development of the Council and its research journal, "Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education." (CMK)

Presents a publisher's perspective on new young adult books being published and on reaching the young adult audience. Discusses reasons for publishing simultaneous hardcover and softcover editions; the more attractive and slightly more expensive trade paperback reprints; marketing and promotion; and establishment of a young adult book award. (AEF)

Discusses the work of Helen Cowcher who writes and illustrates children's books dealing with conservation and ecology themes. Highlights include the use of color; involving teachers in the audience; career advice; and a list of titles with awards received. (LRW)

This is an interview between Teacher Librarian and Chris Crowe. Chris Crowe's first novel won the International Reading Association's Children's Book Award. He is a fellow professor of YA Literature and a past-president of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English. Some interview questions include:…

This article reports on a study of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS), which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. The study undertook a critical evaluation of the NTFS and focused on three main areas: (1) how 'teaching excellence' is understood within the NTFS; (2) the key characteristics of the NTFS as a development…

Children's choice awards are intended to encourage children, primary age through teens, to read quality literature for enjoyment. The reasons for joining a children's choice program before deciding to participate are presented.

The NASPE STARS program is a national recognition program featuring three levels of excellence to recognize outstanding physical education programs in K-12 schools across America. The criteria for this award are based on the essential elements that are necessary for a quality physical education program, as defined by the published national…

This article presents the author's acceptance address for receiving the Peter Shaw award. In this address, the author, an immigrant sociologist, tells how this award helps to resolve questions and uncertainties he has as to the degree to which he can or should consider himself an American--about the extent to which he has become a part, a member…

The Foundation Degree was introduced into the United Kingdom awards system by the Government in 2000 as part of a wider strategy to widen participation and to enhance the development of vocational awards at higher education level. The award was controversially called a "degree," despite the fact it was of only 2 years duration and not at…

Annis Hapkiewicz received the 2005 James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching at the 229th American Chemical Society National Meeting held in March 2005 in San Diego, California. Hapkiewicz discusses the Conant Award and his successful teaching career.